Graza. Fishwife. Brightland. These manufacturers characterize a few of my favourite CPG designs. Marked by vivid colours, daring fonts, and inventive illustrations, this fashion of packaging is now shifting past specialty shops and into large retail aisles.
“Should you stroll into virtually each main retail chain grocery retailer within the U.S., there can be at the least one product that we designed, if not two,” says Mike McVicar, co-founder of Gander, a Brooklyn-based design studio.
That will help you create catchy shopper packaged items (CPG) designs, I’ve gathered insights from Mike that you simply gained’t need to miss — in addition to CPG design ideas and real-life CPG branding examples to function inspiration.
Desk of Contents
The CPG Design Pendulum
Within the late 90s and early 2000s, good design wasn’t a precedence for shopper packaged items (CPG).
Packages with call-outs and stickers that scream “33% much less fats” have been the mainstream, a mode that Mike endearingly described as “excessive, ugly, and sort of further.”
When the 2010s rolled round, branding design went to the opposite excessive — the blanding pattern.
Packages grew to become too minimalistic and generic, usually that includes sans serif fonts and pastel colours.
And now with the rise of social shopping, many manufacturers are catering to the dopamine-charged, color-forward Instagram aesthetic.
It’s additionally a renaissance of the Y2K style, with daring colours and playful textures.
“The pendulum has swung towards ‘it may be enjoyable once more!’” Mike mentioned.
Massive manufacturers love this pattern, too.
From Jell-O to 7UP, they’re redesigning to dial up the dopamine and creating a visible identification that spreads enjoyable and pleasure.
The Draw back to a Trending Model
The issue with this pattern?
It has led some firms to prioritize “doing it for the ‘gram” once they come to Gander.
“You discover manufacturers that simply have very ornamental design or solely really feel attention-grabbing aesthetically. It will not repay for them in the long term, and even within the brief run,” Mike mentioned.
It’s problematic for manufacturers to emulate what everybody else is doing, or recreating a pattern, as a result of:
- You’re assuming that another person’s answer is your answer.
- You’ll be simply replaceable.
- You’re not specializing in speaking your individual model values and differentiation to clients.
He additionally doesn’t imagine the present dopamine packaging pattern will keep for that for much longer.
It’s a pendulum, in spite of everything.
Differentiating CPG Manufacturers By way of Design
Again in 2015, Gander labored on the rebranding for Banza, a pasta constructed from chickpeas.
Opposite to the favored fashion on the pasta aisle again then (suppose Barilla’s simplistic blue packaging), Gander went for a vivid and expressive fashion.
Banza was one of many early manufacturers to make a daring assertion with its CPG packaging, which impacted the meals business as a complete.
“Our ethos was to take another meals, and switch it right into a CPG model that has subverted what was anticipated for gluten-free pasta,” Mike mentioned.
And it labored.
Banza went from anonymity to one of the top pasta manufacturers within the U.S. It’s now in 25K retail locations nationally, together with Goal, Walmart, and Costco.
Since then, Gander’s helped many different CPG manufacturers get on large retail cabinets. Graza, whose design they helped construct from scratch, hit $48M+ in income and could be present in 13+ areas.
Trying again at their large wins, Mike gave three easy ideas for any model that desires to face out by design:
- Begin together with your story and historical past as a model as a substitute of following developments blindly.
- Perceive who your clients are, what sort of world they reside in aesthetically, and what’s pleasing to them.
- Have a look at your competitors and see what alternatives align together with your product and firm that others aren’t doing but.
5 CPG Branding Examples
1. NotCo
NotCo is a meals firm utilizing its AI Giuseppe software program to create plant-based alternate options to animal merchandise like milk and yogurt. Their merchandise corresponding to NotMilk, NotBurgers, and NotIceCream are on the cabinets of over 3,000 shops throughout the U.S., together with Entire Meals, Sprouts, and Amazon.
What I like: NotCo makes use of vibrant colours and playful graphic illustrations to make plant-based alternate options enjoyable and wholesome. I additionally just like the minimalist designs on their packaging which look straightforward to the attention and mirror their “much less is extra” ethos. They’re additionally strongly dedicated to utilizing sustainable packaging for his or her merchandise, which appeals to eco-conscious customers.
2. Olipop
Olipop is a U.S.-based beverage firm that positions itself as a wholesome different to soda. Its elements embody plant fibers, prebiotics, and botanicals, which assist a wholesome intestine. Olipop’s pure elements make them a favourite amongst health-conscious customers, producing over $200 million in 2023.
What I like: There’s lots to like about Olipop’s design. The intense colour schemes and cheeky fruit illustrations are an attention-grabber. The product additionally highlights its prebiotic advantages and diminished sugar content material to draw clients on the lookout for tasty soda alternate options.
3. Chomps
Chomps is a snack model that makes scrumptious, wholesome meat sticks. They’re well-known for his or her Grass-Fed Beef and Turkey Jerky Sticks, which they make with sustainably sourced elements. Every stick has 10-12g of protein and 0 grams of sugar, good for health fanatics. Yow will discover Chomps in over 20,000 shops within the U.S.
What I like: Chomp’s eye-catching packaging has daring colours and fonts that pop at first look. It communicates its distinctive promoting factors corresponding to “100% Grass Fed & Completed,” “Non-GMO” and “Gluten-free” which resonate with healthy-conscious clients on the lookout for a wholesome snack.
4. Hiya Well being
Hiya is a well being and wellness firm that makes a speciality of each day youngsters’s nutritional vitamins and dietary supplements. It was based in 2019 by two new dads who found different nutritional vitamins contained sugar, synthetic elements, or different gummy components. They use important nutritional vitamins and a mix of fruit and veggies to make their merchandise.
What I like: I really like Hiya’s easy design, vivid colours, and enjoyable illustrations, which seize the eye of oldsters on the lookout for wholesome each day vitamin for his or her youngsters. The packaging additionally shows the product’s advantages and sustainably sourced elements, making it straightforward for fogeys to purchase on the spot. Hiya generated $103 million in internet gross sales in 2024.
5. Bobbie
Bobbie is an toddler method firm that sells natural and sustainable child formulation. They make their formulation with milk from grass-fed cows and are the U.S.’s solely mom-founded and mom-led child method firm. The corporate was based in 2019 and surpassed $100 million in income in 2022.
What I like: Bobbie’s selection of sentimental colour schemes on its designs creates a soothing impact and conveys a way of belief and reassurance for fogeys. Its distinctive promoting proposition, “full vitamin modeled after breast milk,” is outstanding on the packaging which might certainly resonate with dad and mom looking for a extra pure approach to feed their infants.
7 CPG Design Ideas for Creating Engaging Packaging
Taking Mike’s ideas (above) and increasing on them with some finest practices and techniques, listed below are seven tricks to obtain next-level CPG branding.
Tip 1: Perceive your target market.
Doing this allows you to tailor your CPG designs and messaging to resonate emotionally.
Take into consideration who’re you focusing on. The place can you discover them? What are their wants, pursuits, values, and issues? As an example, Millennials would possibly choose eco-friendly packaging with minimalist designs and GenZ would possibly need eco-friendly and clear dietary data.
Actual-world instance: Unilever’s Dove is an instance of a CPG model that is aware of its viewers effectively. In 2018, Unilever recognized a rising demand for elevated sensory expertise, moisturizing advantages, trendy design, transparency in elements, and sustainability in its merchandise. In response, Dove revamped its private care packaging to emphasise these values.
The end result? Dove recorded double-digit gross sales progress in comparison with the earlier 12 months. Additionally, 74% of shoppers most well-liked to purchase the brand new design in response to Design Analytics.
Professional tip: Collect useful insights about your viewers utilizing surveys, overview platforms, on-line boards, and social media, after which use that to tell your design technique.
Tip 2: Outline your model identification.
What do Nestle, Coca-Cola, and Nike have in widespread? A novel, recognizable brand identity that lets clients affiliate their merchandise with belief, high quality, and consistency. A powerful model identification makes your product stand out.
Whether or not your model is playful, modern, luxurious, or sustainable, your design elements — corresponding to brand, colours, typography, imagery, and messaging — should constantly reinforce this identification. I imagine this may enable you to construct model recognition and loyalty.
Actual-world instance: Take McDonald’s. Its golden arches and crimson and yellow colour palette align with the model’s picture as a welcoming, family-friendly, and dependable selection, creating a way of familiarity and belief with clients.
Professional tip: Develop brand guidelines to maintain your design parts constant throughout all branding supplies.
Tip 3: Make the design useful.
Whereas eye-catching package deal designs could seize consideration, I’ve discovered that clients prioritize performance when selecting a product — and for good cause.
Packages which are straightforward to open, reseal, transport, and retailer improve the general shopper expertise and make your product extra fascinating. As such, persons are extra more likely to turn out to be repeat clients and promote your product if it’s extra handy.
Actual-world instance: A superb instance is Ziploc luggage, which I’ve used lots. The model grew to become a family identify because of its easy, modern resealable luggage, which maintain meals contemporary, stop spills, and are straightforward to reuse. Actually, it’s now a generic identify for all reclosable plastic luggage. (That’s when you recognize you’re made it!)
Professional tip: Stability aesthetics with operate. Check your packaging to make certain it meets buyer expectations.
Tip 4: Inform a compelling story.
An excellent story at all times captures consideration, evokes emotion, and builds a significant connection together with your viewers. And step one to telling an attention-grabbing brand story is to know your why.
As Simon Sinek famously mentioned, “Individuals don’t purchase what you do; they purchase why you do it.” Your story could possibly be about your founder’s imaginative and prescient, the distinctive origins of your elements, or your mission to create a greater world.
No matter it’s, I’d advise you to make use of parts like handwritten fonts, founder tales, or imagery that mirror your journey and humanize your model. This takes your product from simply one other merchandise on the cabinets into one thing that builds connection together with your viewers.
Actual-world instance: Take into account Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Its packaging features a Vermont panorama (the place it was based), a forward-facing cow, and a scoop of ice cream. The designs additionally function vivid colours, handwritten fonts, cheeky illustrations, and pun-based names, which match the playful model identification.
Professional tip: When shaping your model story, take into consideration the way you need your viewers to really feel once they use your product.
Tip 5: Incorporate minimalism.
By eradicating pointless litter, your model’s messaging and distinctive advantages turn out to be the principle focus. From expertise, utilizing ample white area, refined colours, clear typography, and high-quality pictures in your packaging offers your model a contemporary, skilled, and premium really feel.
Actual-world instance: RXBAR is a superb instance of this sort of “much less is extra” design. Additionally they take their minimalism to the following degree by utilizing it to speak ingredient transparency as effectively.
Professional tip: Much less is extra, however don’t strip away an excessive amount of. You may spotlight important data, like your product advantages, elements, directions, or distinctive promoting proposition, to persuade clients on the spot.
Tip 6: Promote sustainability.
There’s a rising wave of environmental consciousness globally, particularly with the youthful technology. Based on Flexcon, 70% of customers select merchandise primarily based on the sustainability of their packaging.
Utilizing eco-friendly supplies, decreasing waste, optimizing assets, and selling recycling or reuse are efficient methods to showcase your model’s dedication to a sustainable future. I additionally advocate you add clear eco-friendly labels to your packaging to attach with clients who worth sustainability. This may improve your model fame and place your product as a extra accountable selection available in the market.
Actual-world instance: Clif Bar & Firm is an instance of a CPG model dedicated to sustainability by utilizing eco-conscious packaging. Considered one of its targets is to make sure 100% of its plastic packaging can be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025.
Professional tip: Take into account providing a reduction or incentive for patrons who return or reuse packaging to exhibit your model’s dedication to sustainability.
Tip 7: Check, iterate, experiment.
Design is a steady course of. So let me remind you: do not be afraid to experiment and check out new issues. Conduct market analysis, analyze knowledge, and collect suggestions from clients.
Testing completely different packaging supplies, sizes, and designs helps uncover what works finest in your target market. Refine your packaging primarily based on suggestions and market developments to make sure your merchandise align with shopper preferences.
Actual-world instance: Try Organic Valley’s redesign. The model initially used actual photographs of animals, youngsters, and farmers on its packaging. Nevertheless, analysis confirmed this didn’t resonate with their customers as they hoped. So, they overhauled the design. The end result? A ten% gross sales improve inside six months of launch.
Moreover, clients appreciated the brand new packaging, praising its farm-scene illustrations and distinctive trendy design.
Professional tip: A/B take a look at your packaging designs and supplies in actual life to make data-driven choices and to make sure your product drives gross sales.
Stand Out with CPG Designs that Increase Gross sales
The fitting packaging design can considerably improve product consciousness, strengthen your model presence, and drive progress. Nevertheless, as I’ve illustrated on this publish, there’s no one-size-fits-all strategy to creating CPG designs.
I like to recommend you begin by understanding your target market after which fine-tuning your model identification to develop designs that resonate. Attempt to steadiness aesthetics and performance (I care about this and belief others do as effectively) to create a product that clients take pleasure in.
Additionally, permit your model story to shine by the product whereas embracing minimalism and sustainability to align with trendy shopper values. Lastly, experiment to be taught the design that can generate essentially the most gross sales. In spite of everything, that’s the final word aim.
Editor’s word: This publish was initially printed in July 2024 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
